Sicily runoffs and Messina council battle shape Italy's municipal elections

Three Sicilian municipalities will hold runoff elections on June 7‑8 to complete the first round of local votes held two weeks earlier. In Bronte, centre‑right candidate Giuseppe Castiglione faces centre‑left Giuseppe Gullotta. In Ispica, independent Lucio Muraglie leads against a Controcorrente‑backed candidate, Serafino Arena. The most contested race is in Agrigento, where a split centre‑right field has led to a runoff between Michele Sodano, the broad‑based candidate supported by the centre‑left coalition and the Five Star Movement, and Dino Alonge, the centre‑right contender. The outcome could affect the regional centre‑right coalition.

In Messina, the final allocation of a third seat on the municipal council remains undecided. The contest pits Fratelli d'Italia's Debora Buda against Lega incumbent Cosimo Oteri. The winner will determine whether Fratelli d'Italia gains an additional seat or Lega retains its sole guaranteed position, influencing the overall balance of power in the new council.